Important Links to Related Pages

1.      Return to Explore the 32 Category Master List of Productivity Software Applications

2.      See our Side-by-Side Comparison of E-Commerce Platforms

3.      Return to the E-Commerce Platforms Category List

4.      Scan Through the List of E-Commerce Platforms FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

📘 Glossary: E-Commerce Tools – Category-Specific Terms

Abandoned Cart Recovery

A feature that automatically reminds customers to complete purchases after leaving items in their cart without checking out.

Affiliate Marketing Integration

Tools or plugins that allow sellers to reward third parties for referring customers to the store.

B2B / B2C

Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) sales models—many e-commerce platforms support both types with tiered pricing or customer group settings.

Checkout Optimization

Design and feature strategies (like one-page checkout or guest checkout) aimed at improving conversion rates during purchase.

Cross-Selling / Upselling

Techniques used to recommend additional or upgraded products during the purchase process.

Customer Portal

A secure area where buyers can view orders, update shipping info, and manage subscriptions.

Digital Products

Non-physical goods such as e-books, music files, software, or online courses—supported by platforms like Sellfy or WooCommerce.

Dropshipping

A fulfillment model where the store doesn’t hold inventory—products are shipped directly from the supplier to the customer.

Fulfillment

The complete process of storing, packing, and shipping products after an order is placed.

Inventory Management

Tools for tracking stock levels, setting reorder alerts, and managing SKUs and product variants.

Multichannel Selling

Selling across multiple platforms (e.g., website, Amazon, Facebook) with centralized order and inventory management.

Open Source

Software with source code freely available for customization and self-hosting (e.g., Magento, PrestaShop, osCommerce).

Order Management System (OMS)

Centralized dashboard for managing customer orders, returns, and tracking information.

Payment Gateway

A service that securely processes credit card and digital wallet payments online (e.g., Stripe, PayPal, Square).

Point of Sale (POS)

Hardware and software that allow in-person sales; integrated by tools like Shopify POS or Square.

Product Variants

Different versions of a product (e.g., size, color, style) that can be managed under one listing.

Recurring Billing

Automated payments for subscription-based products or services.

Responsive Design

A layout that automatically adjusts to desktop, tablet, and mobile screen sizes—standard in modern e-commerce themes.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Settings and tools that improve a store’s visibility on search engines (e.g., sitemaps, clean URLs, metadata editing).

Shopping Cart

A virtual container for selected products, where customers review items before checkout.

🔤 Glossary of Acronyms – E-Commerce Tools

AOV – Average Order Value

A metric that shows the average dollar amount spent per transaction.

API – Application Programming Interface

Allows integration between e-commerce platforms and third-party services (e.g., shipping, analytics, inventory tools).

BOPIS – Buy Online, Pick Up In Store

A hybrid shopping model supported by platforms with in-person fulfillment options.

CMS – Content Management System

Software that manages content; WooCommerce runs on the WordPress CMS.

CSV – Comma-Separated Values

A common file format for importing or exporting product and customer data.

ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning

Back-end systems that manage finances, inventory, and logistics—sometimes integrated with enterprise e-commerce platforms.

GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation

European data privacy law affecting how customer data is stored and managed.

HTTPS – HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure

A secure internet protocol used for encrypted e-commerce transactions; requires an SSL certificate.

KPI – Key Performance Indicator

Quantifiable business metrics like conversion rate, cart abandonment rate, and traffic sources.

PIM – Product Information Management

Systems used to centralize and manage all product data across sales channels.

POS – Point of Sale

Systems used to process sales in physical retail environments, often integrated with online inventory.

SKU – Stock Keeping Unit

A unique identifier for each distinct product or variation in your inventory system.

SSL – Secure Sockets Layer

A security protocol that encrypts data transmitted between your website and users—critical for protecting transactions.

UX / UI – User Experience / User Interface

UI refers to the look and layout of a site; UX encompasses how intuitive and efficient it is for shoppers to use.

Important Links to Related Pages

1.      Return to Explore the 32 Category Master List of Productivity Software Applications

2.      See our Side-by-Side Comparison of E-Commerce Platforms

3.      Return to the E-Commerce Platforms Category List

4.      Scan Through the List of E-Commerce Platforms FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)